Read Job chapter 2 ver 1-7
The book of Job never fails to intrigue, and yet answers one fundamental question Christians have: Why do the righteous suffer.
The immediate response of people to this question is that the sufferer must have done something wrong, so he is getting his punishment. Many of us put it on karma in some way or the other. The problem with this thought is that God actually never, never, puts any human in difficulty or danger. And if we truly believe we are getting just desserts then we don't believe in the goodness of God, nor His salvation and nor in Jesus. Because all these are logically opposed to that theory, because our God is a God of love, not a God of revenge.
The problem is Gods people, those who worship Him and believe in Him, become targets of Lucifer, who is constantly out to prove that God's love for us is misplaced. That we do not deserve it. That we are intrinsically disloyal and for Him as long as the going is good and He is blessing us. He claims our love for God is purely transactional.
This can be seen in the Book of Job where Lucifer challenges God and puts Job through some of the worst situations a human can face - just so Job will curse God in his pain and sorrow.
Satan simply takes advantage of the democracy of God's love and His blessing of Free choice given to us, to make us turn away and claim the win.
But Satan is wrong. The human spirit, when anchored in God, is stronger than any physical affliction. This is the opportunity for every believer to prove the Accuser wrong, not just for their own sake, but for God’s glory.
God permits the trial, but He also sets the limits.
When suffering comes into your life—the painful illness, the frustrating delay, the unjust betrayal—remember that it is not unchecked chaos. It has passed through the hand of God, and He has placed a boundary on its reach. You may feel like you are at the breaking point, but God's word to the trial is: “You may go this far, and no farther.”
How do we overcome Satan / Lucifer and remain with our integrity with God?
A. Acknowledge God's Trust: In what area of your life is God trusting you to maintain your integrity right now, even without fully understanding the why?
B. Reject the Lie: Have you ever felt like your service to God is transactional? Take a moment to reject Satan’s lie that your faith is only as deep as your comfort level.
C. Rest in the Boundary: Take comfort in the fact that God is sovereign over your suffering. Pray for the grace to endure, knowing that your trial has a divine limit and will not destroy you.
True, that our suffering often feels senseless and overwhelming. Remember that God is proud of our integrity when we choose to worship Him in the storm.
The book's prologue describes a unique scenario that raises deep questions about the origin of suffering. It shows that:
1. Satan can and does accuse humanity before God.
2.Satan can challenge God's judgment and provoke a situation.
However, God remains in ultimate control, setting the boundaries and using the circumstances (even those instigated by Satan) for His own purposes, which in Job's case was to reveal the purity of his faith and later to restore him with greater blessing.
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